The artist Frank H. McIntosh was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1901 and produced much of the advertising art for the Matson shipping line, a company which helped develop Hawaii as a tourist destination.

Starting in 1882, Matson ferried supplies to the islands from San Francisco and then expanded into luxury cruises and hotels.

These two images are part of a series of thrilling menu covers that McIntosh produced for the SS Matsonia, dated 1946. They show lush native beauties amid the natural splendor of Hawaii.

After graduating from the California School of Fine Arts, McIntosh had a studio in San Francisco in 1923 to 24. He continued his studies in New York City and Paris. By the early 1930s he had moved to Los Angeles where he was on the faculty at the Chouinard Art Institute and in the 1960s he had a gallery in Los Angeles dealing with Oriental paintings.  He died in Santa Cruz, CA in 1985. 

As you will see from this menu, the food on board the SS Matsonia was almost resolutely American fare. It’s unlikely any of us today would want to dine on cold beef broth, broiled lamb chops or turkey with peas, carrots and baked Idaho potatoes during our time aboard ship en route to Hawaii.

After a refit following service during WWII when she transported troops, the SS Matsonia began taking passengers from San Francisco to Honolulu in 1946 until 1948 when she was sold to an Italian shipping line.

Courtesy Private Collection.